What is Field Recording?
When we talk about recording sound professionally, most of us conjure up images of working on big expensive movie sets or in a professional high-end recording studio. However, there are other exciting avenues to explore if you’re really into sound, and one of the most interesting is field recording.
As its name suggests, field recording involves being out “in the field”; that is, away from professionally controlled environments like a studio. Field recording is the act of capturing sounds from real-world environments or events using a portable audio recording device. These recordings are often used in sound design, film and video game production, and even scientific research.
Field recording allows for the creation of a sonic "snapshot" of a particular time and place and can be used to evoke a sense of atmosphere and immersion in a variety of media. After all, the entire world is made up of sounds, and you can guarantee that somewhere, someone needs them. For example, Freesound is a website dedicated almost entirely to field recordings and has helped many with their projects. So, let’s dig into why and how you’d get into field recording.
What are field recordings used for?
Field recordings are used for a variety of purposes, including:
Music production: Field recordings can be used to capture unique sounds and textures to be incorporated into musical compositions that add atmosphere or ambience.
Sound design: Sound from field recordings can be used to create sound effects for film, radio, and video games, or to create immersive environments.
Journalism: Field recordings can be used to document events, interviews, and other real-world sounds for news reporting or storytelling.
Preservation: Field recordings can be used to preserve endangered or disappearing sounds, such as traditional music, cultural practices, or natural soundscapes.
Scientific research: Field recordings can be used to study the behaviour of animals (for example, bioacoustics), the effects of natural phenomena such as weather or climate change, or the acoustic properties of different environments.
As you can see, field recordings are incredibly useful and highly versatile. There are a lot of different reasons why people might want to use field recordings in their work. If you're looking for unique sounds for your next project, or want to capture natural environments in a unique way, then field recordings are a great option.
Where can I get field recordings?
Well, the answer is “anywhere there is sound.” Sound is all around us; we just need to be aware of what we’re listening to. That being said, there are certain environments you’ll travel to to record depending on what type of sound you’re after:
Nature: if you need the sound of birds singing, wind blowing through the trees, or animals scampering through bushes, then you’ll want to get out into the woods or wilderness. It’s here you’ll find animals and insects, trees creaking, and water running and trickling.
Photo by Bailey Zindel on Unsplash
Urban: get out into the streets and capture the roar of the traffic, the banging of construction works, and the yelling of market vendors. Just remember that you might need to ask permission depending on where you live to record conversations.
Photo by Chapman Chow on Unsplash
Personal spaces: retreat indoors and record the ambience of rooms like kitchens, bedrooms, garages, cafes, and offices. Every space has its own unique ambience, and recording them is your job.
Location specific: these are sounds that are unique only to their location, so think airports, train stations, theme parks, subways etc.
Sound effects: recordings of specific actions like footsteps, gunshots, breaking glass, etc.
Photo by Chris Hardy on Unsplash
What equipment do I need?
It’s never been easier or cheaper to get into field recording. All you need is a way to record sound, and the options are incredible. However, if you’re just starting out, don’t feel overwhelmed. You have two choices on how to record your audio: digital recorders with onboard microphones and digital recorders with external microphones.
If you’re on a budget, recorders with onboard microphones are the way to go. You’ve got everything you need to get started right out of the box. Zoom make some of the most popular recorders on the market, but there are many versions of recorders like this, so shop around. In fact, your phone will more than likely do a great job of recording audio with an external microphone, and all you need is a cheap adapter (such as a TRRS to USB C cable).
Image credit- Zoomcorp website
That brings us to recorders with external microphones. This is where the world of field recordings really opens up, as you can use different microphones to capture audio in specific ways:
Shotgun mics are directional and therefore are great at isolating sound, so just point them at the source you wish to record.
Binaural mics replicate how humans hear and thus create as close to a realistic capture of an environment as possible.
Contact mics are placed on anything that vibrates.
Hydrophones allow you to record underwater.
Ambisonic mics capture audio from all around in 360°, making them perfect for VR applications.
All of these are nice to have, but remember, experimentation is key, so get out there and have fun! Also, make sure you’re recording at the highest quality your recorder allows, which is at least 96k sampling rate and 24-bit resolution.
Where can I learn more?
Our ‘An Introduction to Production Sound for Film’ class on Skillshare covers everything you need to know to get the best possible sound quality out in the field. Learn what equipment to use and how to use it, and you’ll be capturing world-class audio in no time.
Black Goblin has a range of audio courses covering pre- to post-production. Whether you want to learn how to think artistically about sound during the scripting phase, get insight into the workings of sound capture professionals, or learn how to edit and process sound during post, our courses will make sure you’re ready for your next creative endeavour. Contact us today, and let’s get you on your way to perfect sound.
